# My mother has lost it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 28, 2008, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753 "2008-11-28T02:41:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/21 "2008-11-28T16:53:43Z")
> [@dangermom](#): > > Surely she noticed how very anti-Catholic _Left Behind_ is? And since when do Catholics have Rapture theology? She picks and chooses what she wants to believe > [@Mesquite-oh](#): > > I hear ya. As my MIL has gotten older, she depends more and more on right wing radio as her primary (and sometimes only) source of news concerning controversial topics. She can say some pretty outlandish things at the dinner table, thinking that what she is saying is based in fact or that it reflects common views. I have been ordered by my wife to stand down and let her deal with her mom in her own, gentle way. My husband thinks I should stand up to her a bit more. She has picked up a lot of her views from right wing TV and radio. She has this way of making you feel guilty without trying if I go too far and hurt her feelings. > [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Go to the [Illinois Lottery page for the day of the election](http://www.illinoislottery.com/subsections/NumDisplay.asp?gamebutton=ALL&datebutton=RANGE&startMonth=11&startDate=4&startYear=2008&endMonth=11&endDate=4&endYear=2008&Submit2=Submit) (November 4th) and show her that 666 was not a winning number on that date. I told her that, it didn’t help. My mother is only 64, she is too young to be going this batshit insane. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/22 "2008-11-28T17:30:59Z")
> [@Qwisp](#): > > My mother is only 64, she is too young to be going this batshit insane. My in-laws are 64, and they are both loopy. It’s very worrying. They get less competent every year and I have no idea what we’re going to do when they can no longer deal with life themselves. They’re on the brink now. So…my sympathies. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/23 "2008-11-28T17:34:21Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > Go to the [Illinois Lottery page for the day of the election](http://www.illinoislottery.com/subsections/NumDisplay.asp?gamebutton=ALL&datebutton=RANGE&startMonth=11&startDate=4&startYear=2008&endMonth=11&endDate=4&endYear=2008&Submit2=Submit) (November 4th) and show her that 666 was not a winning number on that date. It was, however, [the day **after**](http://www.illinoislottery.com/subsections/NumDisplay.asp?gamebutton=ALL&datebutton=RANGE&startMonth=11&startDate=5&startYear=2008&endMonth=11&endDate=4&endYear=2008&Submit2=Submit). ---
**Author:** ![New\_Beginning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@New\_Beginning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Beginning)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/24 "2008-11-28T17:37:47Z")
> [@trupa](#): > > I think what’s happening is that as people age, they lose their ability for critical thinking, by that, I mean their ability to question the truth or honesty of what they hear on the media. Cite? I’ve always wondered about the crazy old people, and truly fear for myself as I get older. Do people who have an even moderate amount of skepticism about what they read/hear/see really lose it as they get older, just by natural causes? Do peoples’ ability to reason critically degrade, even without them being aware of it? ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/25 "2008-11-28T17:38:27Z")
:eek: The end is nigh! (I mean, about the lottery) ---
**Author:** ![Goodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/94ad74/32.png) [@Goodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goodle)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/26 "2008-11-28T17:43:26Z")
I am seeing the same thing with my father. He is 65 and has been retired for about 6 years. He used to be a pretty successful executive but since he retired it is tough seeing him slowly turn into a senile old coot, whether it be people driving too fast or politics. Fortunately, he has not gotten into religion, and I live 6 hours away. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/27 "2008-11-28T17:49:31Z")
> [@New\_Beginning](#): > > Cite? I’ve always wondered about the crazy old people, and truly fear for myself as I get older. Do people who have an even moderate amount of skepticism about what they read/hear/see really lose it as they get older, just by natural causes? Do peoples’ ability to reason critically degrade, even without them being aware of it? IME, they just get more ornery and curmudgeonly, and have decided that after a long hard life, they don’t have to put up with anything they don’t want to. They also really, _really_, enjoy tormenting their off-spring by expressing outlandish views, as pay-back for putting up with those off-spring, and their outlandish views, as teen-agers. Ah, family. ---
**Author:** ![maladroit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f475e1/32.png) [@maladroit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maladroit)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/28 "2008-11-28T17:52:15Z")
I think it’s a symptom of isolation as well as limited media usage, not getting out and talking to enough actual people face to face I just reread op and the bit where mom is going to church more often just blew my theory out of the water as far as not getting out and seeing people, so commence never-minding ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Tiger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Mama\_Tiger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Tiger)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/29 "2008-11-28T18:08:36Z")
Fortunately, people in my family seem to just get more liberal as they age. My 88-year-old mother not only was an enthusiastic supporter of Obama, but she hosted a fundraiser for the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in her state, and helped her 87-year-old precinct captain friend get out the Democratic vote on election day. And she’s also become a huge supporter of gay rights and gay marriage. She’s been adopted by a whole group of young gay men as their grandma, and they treat her like a queen, she marches (well, in a wheelchair) in the Pride parade, and on and on. It’s quite entertaining. They’re delightful young men, and I’m happy to have them spoiling her so much since I live several thousand miles away. So not all old people lose their ability to think critically and support new causes as they age. Thank heaven. I want to be a feisty old lady like my mom and her friends! ---
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/30 "2008-11-28T18:13:01Z")
I think the church would be happy to see her leave. She’s been known to take the priest aside after mass and lecture him on what was wrong with his sermon. My sister who lives in another state was humiliated when she took my mom to her church and my mother proceeded to lecture the pastor on respect because the congregation was wearing shorts.In Arizona.In the summer. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/31 "2008-11-28T18:24:40Z")
> [@Kyla](#): > > I’m personally nervous of a chiffon being elected. They’re so…slippery. Taffeta! Nothing but taffeta will solve this country’s ills… ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/32 "2008-11-28T18:48:26Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > It was, however, [the day **after**](http://www.illinoislottery.com/subsections/NumDisplay.asp?gamebutton=ALL&datebutton=RANGE&startMonth=11&startDate=5&startYear=2008&endMonth=11&endDate=4&endYear=2008&Submit2=Submit). So, does that somehow make Obama the sort-of-anti-christ? The Prince of Insufficient Lighting? ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/33 "2008-11-28T19:20:27Z")
> [@ShibbOleth](#): > > So, does that somehow make Obama the sort-of-anti-christ? The Prince of Insufficient Lighting? I’m just surprised that they couldn’t get a good plague going or something. I mean, really, one lousy lottery result, one state, the day after the election? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/34 "2008-11-28T19:52:06Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Taffeta! Nothing but taffeta will solve this country’s ills… Give us the tulle and we’ll finish the job. ---
**Author:** ![Tikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5daacb/32.png) [@Tikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tikki)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/35 "2008-11-28T20:04:24Z")
Oh! Won’t someone please think of the sateen? But yeah, I worry about TikkiDad a lot. Sometimes it takes several beats before his mind catches up with what you’ve said and then, many times he’s misheard it. (Forget about him getting hearing aids. Just forget about it.) Some days it’s frustrating holding a conversation with him even if he’s heard you right. I don’t know how much has to do with the poor hearing or medicinal side effects or just advanced age. Sometimes he’ll ask a question and then keep rambling on without waiting for an answer. Or he’ll give you just enough time to start answering and then talk right over you. I’ve tried a couple of times just continuing my statement but he doesn’t get a clue and keeps on talking regardless. We were raised that it’s impolite to interrupt people so this is one of the more disturbing aspects of his seniorness to me. At least he’s not religious so no nuttieness there. And he likes to listen to Art Bell and his cronies just for the laugh factor. Still, his mind just isn’t as sharp as it used to be. He used to be such a smart guy. I used to be able to ask him anything and he’d know the answer. Now some pretty elementary things seem to elude him on a regular basis. Getting old really sucks, and we haven’t even touched on the physical aspects yet. My best to all of you who are dealing with aging relatives. ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753/36 "2008-11-28T20:31:22Z")
> [@New\_Beginning](#): > > Cite? I’ve always wondered about the crazy old people, and truly fear for myself as I get older. Do people who have an even moderate amount of skepticism about what they read/hear/see really lose it as they get older, just by natural causes? Do peoples’ ability to reason critically degrade, even without them being aware of it? A lot of it surely has to do with the growing fear and vulnerability most of us experience with advancing age. We all know fear is the most powerful weapon against reason, and it doesn’t respect one’s ability to reason. Fear can curdle skepticism into cynicism, or it can drive you to cling to Truths, or have you spinning between the two extremes. Especially during the last few decades, our national political-media-news matrix has gotten very good at ginning up and exploiting this kind of fear, and I think the young elderly are particularly susceptible. Both my parents gave up on the Democratic Party in their 60s - national, state _and_ local - because the tremendous conservative backlash against the Clintons appealed to them more strongly at that point than the liberal principles they had supported for so long. (It helped that they had become affluent and tax-conscious in the 1980s.) They also became less tolerant and more bitter about racial, religious, and other differences, though they continue to respect individuals of all types. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-mother-has-lost-it/474753.md?page=1)